


The Party Incident

by Death_And_Spring



Series: The Stark Family [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Awesome Pepper Potts, Bottom Tony Stark, I don't know what I'm doing, Irondad, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Marvel Universe, Minor James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark, Mpreg, One-Sided Attraction, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark Friendship, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Pre-Iron Man 1, Pre-Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Pregnant Tony Stark, Protective Pepper Potts, Protective Tony Stark, Superfamily (Marvel), Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Unplanned Pregnancy, first fic here, mentioned gay sex, pre-tony stark/stephen strange, pro-tony, we don't believe in gender here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-10 15:29:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18663184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Death_And_Spring/pseuds/Death_And_Spring
Summary: That was the moment he knew he fucked up.Alone sitting in the bathroom’s cold marvel, which had become his new home for the past two months, he had been stubborn, thinking it was just some kind of stomach flu, something that would pass with time.To his bad luck, it wasn’t.--Or, Tony spends a one night stand with a stranger and ends up pregnant with Harley





	The Party Incident

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old work, a friend of mine convinced me of publishing it here, I hope you like it as much as I hope you do, also I'm a slow updater because I try to deliver the best I can give.  
> Thanks for everything

July 2008

That was the moment he knew he fucked up.  
Alone sitting in the bathroom’s cold marvel, which had become his new home for the past two months, he had been stubborn, thinking it was just some kind of stomach flu, something that would pass with time.  
To his bad luck, it wasn’t  
Obviously, Pepper had noticed something was off with him but he just downplayed it, she was his best friend since forever and it felt weird not to tell her things but he just couldn't bring himself to talk about this, what if it was what he feared? what would she and Rhodey think of him?  
With her working so hard for men to respect her on her new post and Rhodey training with the army, and now he came with this stupid decisión to fuck everything up and it wasn’t fair.

A heavy sigh came out of his lips as he felt sick again, he had always hated throwing up, he was kind of used to it because all the alcohol and parties and he usually recovered fast to continue to party, but this was different, so, sooo different.

With nothing else in his stomach he sobbed trying to hold on his tears as he thought he was panicking, he couldn't deny it any longer, he was sure now.  
He sat down again against the wall and let his eyes slip downwards where there were five pregnancy tests, all from a different brand, all positive, at first he had thought maybe it was a mistake of the test but the other four prooved different, still, he couldn't accept it.  
He was pregnant, he was going to have a baby,... or not? he was just so confused and scared.

“Tony?” Pepper’s voice made him to his feet instantly making him kind of dizzy again but he breathed in and took the pregnancy tests to hid them behind the mirror as he flushed the toilet, washed his teeth, cleaned the tears out of his eyes and cheeks and with a deep breath walked out of the bathroom.  
“Hey Pep’s” she turned to the origin of his voice. She as always wore her suit and her ponytail, in her eyes, he could see concern “Tony have you been sleeping? You always appear out of the bathroom when I'm here and you haven’t even bathed, What’s going on?”   
A lump formed in his throat, he wanted to tell her.. but he couldn't, he wasn't ready, not yet.   
“It’s nothing Pep’s, what boring reunions do I have for today?” She shoots him a look before looking down to her tablet “You’ve got a meeting today with the council and They are going to discuss a new association with another big company” She got close and tried to do something with the mess that his hair was without achieving anything.  
“Get a damn bath and get dressed” she was about to leave when she looked seriously into his eyes “And for god’s sake Tony, don’t fuck this up”   
He heard her heels walking away and he kind of relaxed if you could call it that. Pepper had been mad at him since the party incident, and now he was getting why, it had been something so stupid, he should have thought before acting, but who was he kidding? he never thought about consequences and then they came back and bit him in the ass.

Later that day he could say that in fact, that was the first meeting that had his full attention, not because it was interesting, in fact, it was dull and boring but it helped him keep his mind busy, he knew he had to think about the mess he was in, but he still wanted to ignore it hoping it would go away by itself.  
Of course, it was one of the most idiotic ideas he had ever had, and he was full of bad ideas.  
“It's time to talk about our new associate Artisans de Paix” Tony was taken back by that, Artisans de Paix?, They were going to make a deal almost two months ago, but Tony had screwed up, to be fair they both did, that had been the party incident.  
“Their director Marius Jacquet has agreed to come and discuss again the terms of the deal, we are still looking for an official date but the work is still to be confirmed by you, Mr. Stark”  
Tony stayed quiet for a moment, Marius Jacquet, that handsome french at the party, they knew who the other was, they had been in meetings together, there was always some kind of rivalry between them, a sassy fight for power, to see who was the best of them both, That had lead to the celebration party, a gal for all the businessmen involved in this huge association.  
They both drank, maybe a little too much, that lead to their encounter in the bathroom, there had been some kind of a bitchy sassy fight between them before Tony kissed Marius, the problem started when the French kissed him back, lusty and hungry.  
The door was locked as they made their way to the sink.  
Tony still could remember how their clothes fell to the ground, the strong chest in which his fingers had played, the other one’s hands all around him, exploring, touching, he could remember how it felt to have him inside of him, how at first had hurt like hell because it had been with no preparation, but then, there was no more thinking, just both of them trying to suppress the moans that threatened to get out of their mouths, Marius had come hard and deep inside Tony, then everything went to hell when Tony whispered in the french’s ear “I won”  
Marius had canceled the deal the next morning and Pepper had guessed exactly why, she knew him, she knew him as her own mind.  
Now there was a chance to amend that mistake, to join once more their companies, to see the father of his offspring again.  
He didn’t expect anything, because he felt absolutely nothing towards the French guy, but somehow seeing him again made it easier, he wasn’t sure if he was even gonna tell him, or if he would still be pregnant by that time.  
But it didn’t matter in the end, none of it.  
“Let’s do this, reread and arrange the contract I want to see it first thing tomorrow morning to start on checking and approving it before sending it to Artisans de Paix, meeting dismissed”

Going on and on in circles across the lab wasn’t what he thought he would have been doing just after getting free of the bureaucratic business to work on a project, but he just couldn't focus, his mind kept returning to the same thought, the one that was growing inside of him.  
“Okay I’m pregnant, this is not a joke, not a bad dream”.His mind was frenetic the moment he allowed himself to feel panic.

What the hell I’m I gonna do? I can’t have a baby!, I’m too young, For god’s sake I’m twenty-two!, This is just so stupid! I could get rid of it! That way no one would know, yeah.. but what if I have the baby, Could I keep it? Should I give him away for adoption?, and if I didn’t then what could I give this child, a stupid alcoholic father, how can I even be a father if mine was never there?, I have no idea how to do this, What if I have it and failed, what if I do the same my father did?, I’m not ready, I can’t do this right now.

He stopped on his track to breathe, he was going into a serious panic and that couldn’t be good for anyone, he never knew when he started crying, his hands were shaking and he was just desperate.  
As he started to calm down breathing slowly with his eyes closed he tried to organize his thoughts, breathing slowly he made himself a question, forcing himself to give a one-word answer, yes or no.

Do I want to be a father?

Without him noticing his left hand went to his belly, in silence, thinking, the whole day his mind had been screaming all the bad things that could or would happen, but right now.., he knew he could always get an abortion, it was his body and his decision to make, but he wasn’t sure, he almost smiled at the thought of a little boy running all around the lab, the giggles of a baby, the word dad said to him with love.  
He had always wanted a child in secret, he knew it was dumb for someone like him to want that but, he always wanted to give someone all the things he never had and now he had the chance, it was terrifying, he knew dam well he wasn’t ready but to be honest who is?

That’s when he made his choice, he wanted this baby, it wasn’t planned, maybe it wasn’t the right time, the right place, but it didn’t matter, he would have this baby, he was more than sure he could take care of it economically, and he would be there for it, every moment, not like his father.  
Never like his father.  
With that in mind, he closed his eyes as he left himself drop to the floor exhausted.  
At least now he knew his path, the rest was like a project.  
He’ll have to experiment.

 

August 2008

 

Tony couldn’t remember when was the last time he could sleep his ass off the morning, he missed waking up at twelve and only because Pepper forced him to come out of bed.  
Now he woke up with the urgent need to puke his guts out, every smell made him feel sick and now he was starting to get something for spicy hot things, honestly it was exhausting, he couldn’t even eat till one o’clock, with luck at eleven, but everything he put down his throat just came back like an annoying ex.  
“Now what Jarvis?” he knew his friend could hear him even in the bathroom and till now he was the only one that knew about the baby.  
“I recommend seeing a doctor Mr. Stark”, “Yeah, I really should..” Tony knew he had to, he just needed the right excuse.. something that wasn’t suspicious, he got up and out of the bathroom when he thought the danger of throwing up in his expensive floors wasn’t imminent, he made his way to the living room when he caught himself looking intently to the liquor bar, since he knew about his bundle of joy he had stopped drinking, and honestly it was torture, he used to solve everything with alcohol and since he had stopped his head would kill him slowly like knives piercing his skull, he was mad most of the time and he had already shouted to a few employees about how they were going to die because they disturbed him, he knew it was because he was desintoxicating from his love of liquor, he just needed to get through it without anyone noticing, but they were noticing already that something was off, especially Pepper.  
He tried to swallow the lump in his throat as he walked away breathing in slowly making his way to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee before going to the lab to work on one missile he had to finish for a delivery.  
It was some important thing but he couldn’t concentrate, he knew this could happen in the detox, but he was a fucking genius it shouldn’t apply to him, he just sighed heavily before heading down to the lab without eating anything because it was gonna come out anyway.  
“Hey Jarvis..” he said as he arrived, Jarvis waited to see if he would continue talking and when he realized he was not he answered, “Yes Sir.?” Tony smiled, having a baby really brought some memories from when he was little when Edwin Jarvis used to take care of him, in a way Jarvis had always been there with him, and he realized just now.  
“I want to be like you” he almost whispered it and the other sounded puzzled “Like me Sir.?” Tony waited a second thinking of his answer, “A good parent, I want to take care of my baby like you took care of me” there was silence, Tony knew that both of them, both Jarvis weren't the same, they were different in many ways, still he felt he should tell him. “I don’t know what to say Sir.” he sounded moved and Tony waved it off with his hand “Then say nothing friend” there was a minute “Hey Jarvis.. do we still have those super spicy chips?”...”You finished them sir” there was silence again “Well that's a problem”

It was already late and he was honestly exhausted, that was another symptom of the detox that he heated, it was as annoying as the…”Tony” he jumped and turned around to look at her, as annoying as jumping for everything, “Hey Pep’s” she eyed him slowly before getting close, Tony knew that look, and he didn’t like it.

“You have a party tonight” he was about to talk when she shut him up with a look “Yeah, you can’t, again because of this big project of yours that I’ve never seen, but you have already missed four parties and we can’t afford another, they are pissed and I’m getting pissed too” her face was stone and that made him shiver, she knew something was wrong with him and was angry because Tony would just not tell her, even though she never pressed, she asked once and then it’s up to him if he is going to share it or not, she was more worried than angry really but she still respected Tony’s individualities, he was her best friend since kids after all.  
He said yes slowly with his head and Pepper let go of a sigh that was trapped in her throat, “I’ll go, just let me get ready” she sighed again as she took a pair of steps forward in his direction to caress his cheek with her hand “If you get late I’m kicking your ass to the party” with that and a smile she left Tony feeling less alone, though he was never going to be alone again.  
He needed a plan, as Pep’s had said he had been avoiding parties for the last week, he had never been annoyed before for having one almost every day but now things were a little bit different, his mind went blank when he saw himself in the mirror, he knew he was already showing, he was four months pregnant and it was logical, he could hide it with his t-shirts but a suit was different, all his suits were made to fit him perfectly, and there was no way that a shirt could close without stretching even a little now, he lowered his hand to his belly as he stroked it tenderly, “See all the problems you make dad go through?” he sighed looking at his gigantic closet, there had to be something in there to fit the occasion, “Jarvis, I need help 

He arrived on time surprising everyone and getting an approving look from his favorite ginger, he shook hands with everyone as he slowly learned what was this party about, a contract or something, and then he just disappeared into the liquor bar where a young boy was serving things, he couldn’t be more than nineteen, almost his age, more less, Tony looked intensely at him until the boy got close “Yes Sir.?” he looked a little bit scared and that made Tony feel weirdly good, “What’s your name kid?” the boy swallowed hard “Sam, my name is Sam, have I done something wrong?” Tony shook his head, “Well Sam, you are getting promoted, every time I ask for a drink you will give me anything that’s the same color except liquor, get it?” the boy said yes slowly and confused, Tony saw that the boy had questions but was smart enough not to ask them “Nice, have this, for helping me and for your discretion” he handed the boy three hundred dollars and this was unsure if he should take it or not, but at the end he took it quickly and then he went for a glass and filled with something before returning, “Your whiskey Sir.” he said as he gave the drink to Tony, this just nodded before walking away taking a tentative drink to the mysterious glass to find out it was actually apple juice, that had been basic but cleaver.  
As the night went on he had to pretend to get a little bit tipsy, just a little bit, as he went drink after drink of his apple juice, that until a guy came up to him with some weird ass purple drink “You have to taste it! I just invented it!” the guy was already a little drunk but even before Tony raised his hand another one already had it grasped “Let me get ice in it Sir.” when he turned there was Sam and with a wink he disappeared with the drink “That’s good service, where did you get him?” “I don’t know” the guy laughed “I never know where I get my servants too” Tony was about to say something really rude and disrespectful to the man when the voice of the kid distracted him “Here you have sir” he took the glass from the other one’s hand “Thank you” again Sam nodded and walked away, Tony looked at the drink “What even is this thing?” he asked to the other one so he could ramble about how he had created that amazing drink “Oh! It has, Ron and juice and it has tequila, crazy but tasty…” he shut his brain off as the guy kept on and on, he was almost sure it was the same glass because it had the same scratch at the bottom, it sure had been this idiot by his side, but when he smelled it all smell of liquor was gone, like it was never there.  
It was grape juice in water to color it down and it had that weird thing that people put in things to make food a different color, well his drink was lilac, it smelled kind of lavender so the colorant must have been natural, Tony smiled wide as he drank it, the kid was a smart one to pull something like that in that short time and he also had lots of imagination to create the drinks to look the same, now he knew who could get that spicy food for him.  
It was the first time in the party that Tony actually felt safe, after a few more weird ass drinks he decided to get out the balcony to see the city lights, “You are all alone tonight, that’s weird” Pepper came close to him, letting her purse fall as she made herself comfortable in the floor beside him, “Yeah, I’m not in the mood” she silently nodded “It’s the first time in years I don’t have to drag you out of a party drunk as hell” she sighed “It’s nice but kind of weir too”  
“Oh come on, it’s not been years” she laughed at his tone and turned to look at him “The first time was at seventeen Tone’s, in that house with pool or something” he smiled too “I wasn’t that drunk” she laughed again and now he laughed too, “You were fighting yourself in the mirror until you broke it and then you shut out the dog for reprimand you” Tony smiled “In my defense it was scary ass dog” “It was a corgi”, they both laughed out loud together.  
“Hey wanna get out of here and get some donuts?” she smiled “Let’s do it, but make it discreet” his eyes lighted up “I’ll have a fake meeting” she nodded “That works for me”

 

September 2008

 

It was his first time with the doctor and it had been a little weird as he had entered disguised to the office to then get the blond wig off his head with the beard too. The best part? the doctor wasn’t even surprised.  
“Okay, so Mr. … Langley?” he sed as he read slowly the fake name “That’s me” Tony was really nervous, he didn’t like doctors and this one wasn’t the exception.  
The doctor took his glasses off “Look Mr. Laungley I’m a professional doctor, what means that by law and by honor all that happens in this or the examiner room is completely confidential, as you are barely an adult now” Tony relaxed a little when it was revealed to him that his secret was safe yet he got kind of offended for being called barely an adult.  
“So, do we stay with Langley or do we use your real name?” there was silence for a moment “Stark, call me Stark” by that Dr. Smith smiled for the first time, “Okay Mr. Stark, how can I help you” he sounded nice but Tony still couldn’t find the way to say it out loud without fearing that the doctor would freak out or something “Well….uh….I’m pregnant” the doctor just nodded for him to continue “You aren’t freacking out” he said surprised and relieved at the same time, the doctor smiled “Why would I? You came to me and I am specialized in pregnancy and delivery by five doctorates, so it was logical, and you are not the first young human to enter here pregnant and scared, just tell me all you know”  
That made Tony feel okay, more relaxed and he kind of started to trust the doctor now, “It happened about five months and a week ago” (exactly five months one week three days and like...12 hours, but that didn’t matter) he shook his thoughts of that night as he continued “I’ve quited drinking and I really feel like shit because of it, also I’m really tired and sick in the mornings, like I puke for like about an hour, and if I eat I feel sick again, a Friend is helping me through these, he figured out and now he brings me tea and crackers in the morning before he goes back to school, yeah, Sam’s helping me a lot, also I’m kind of jumpy and shaking at times but I think it’s because of the detox..” he stode off when he felt he had spoken too much, and maybe the doctor was now anoyed by him, butt he wasn’t “I think it’s a remarcable thing that you quit drinking, though you have to be carefull, I’m really gratefull that nothing too bad has hapened in the desintoxification prosses hurting the baby, but it could have so I’ll give you a few things to help you through it” panic grew in the back of his mind thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong and he placed his hand in his belly to try and breath, the doctor turned to look at him and could see his fear “Don’t think of it too much, now you are here with me, a specialist, so under my care nothing is going to happen, though I need to do a check up as this baby has never seen a doctor before” He smiled to the new unexpirienced and anxious father tenderly, “We will be able to see him” Tony was still afraid and couldn’t shake the bad feeling away but thinking of seeing his baby made him smile a little.  
“I go put this on?” he asked as he took a medical blue gown that was right in the door of the consulting room, “Yes, please” sed the doctor as he gestured towards a little fitting room.  
Tony felt weird and silly using that, he hated hospitals and it kind of looked like a doctor’s blue dispensable uniform, he was nervous and shaking, he had always been kind of a pessimist so his mind was focused on praying to a god he didn’t believe that his baby was safe and well.  
“Okay lay here please”, Tony obeyed as he saw how the doctor took a monitor and an ultrasound machine, it was not the first time he had an ultrasound, but the first time it had been because of a broken bone and he wasn’t excited for it that time.  
“So, I need to see how everything going in there if the amniotic sack is firmly placed and if everything’s growing healthy and normal” he took out some gell and placed it onto Tony’s belly before saying that it might be cold which now was useless information because yes it was fucking cold.  
Then he was took off when the examination begun with some kind of weird underwater sound “We should hear it any time now..” before Tony could ask there it was, it was like a fast drumming, his eyes teared up as his worries almost disappeared, he was hearing his baby, suddenly he felt sad by going through this alone but that had been his decision, he held on the tears wishing Pepper was there with him as he smiled “That’s my baby?” The doctor turned to see him and gave Tony the sweetest of smiles, a proud one, “Yes, everything seems right, I’ll have to take a blood test but that’s it, I can’t perceive now any deformity and the size is right for its age, Do you want to see it?” Tony’s eyes watered again with anticipation, voice lost earning that smile again, maybe Tony would never get it but there was nothing more beautiful or heartwarming that the excitement and love that new parents had, and Tony just made the doctor smile, who would have thought that eccentric millionaire would be so happy to have a baby at such a young age.  
He turned the monitor so that the father to be could see his baby for the first time, this time the tears did fell down Tony’s face, there it was, a baby, thumb on its mouth.  
“Want to know the gender?” Tony looked at him “No” he sed fast and sharp surprising the doctor, “Sorry, I.. I don’t believe in gender, but I would like to know the sex please?”  
The doctor shook his head as if all Tony had said were absurd but he looked back at the monitor again “It’s a..” he trailed off “Female, that’s the sex”  
Tony just nodded excitedly “Can you print it?”

He had decided on telling Pepper that night, it was the right thing, it was what he wanted to do, he wanted her by his side, he wanted his sister.

“I’m here Tony, is everything okay? Why did you asked me to come?” he heard her voice from the front door followed for her heels walking up the stairs, he was sitting down as always when she came, it helped him hide his baby bump, “In the livingroom Pep’s” he said and she appeared almost instantly, she sat beside him on the couch waiting for him to say something but he was quiet, his words in a lump on his throat “Why I’m I here Tone’s?” it sounded worried more than anything and Tony swallowed hard.  
he decided to just say it, say it before he couldn’t.

 

“I’m pregnant”

 

Her eyes went wide and she was petrified for a moment before looking him in the eye “I knew” she said slowly caressing his cheek “You knew?” his eyes were wide with surprise “Of course I knew!, Tony.. you are my friend, my brother and I knew something was wrong when you started to act weird, sometimes I would arrive to hear you trowing up, and you were pale.., one day you weren’t here and I used the bathroom, accidentally I pushed the mirror and.. and a pregnancy test fell down from behind, then I waited for you to tell me” she started angry but then she was just worried and sad, her voice cracked when she hugged him “God Tony, Why didn’t you told me?” she felt so relieved that Tony had finally told her, it had made all the worry and the hurting on her heart come out to the light.  
She had known for a while, well, of course, she had known, she knew him like nobody, she knew and still, she acted like nothing, respecting his decision of not telling her, that broke Tony’s heart for ever doubting her, “I thought you would be angry… disappointed..” this time she did pull away “Tony, listen, I’m honestly hurt because you didn’t tell me, and I’m a little angry too, but never disappointed, believe me Tone’s, this is one of the most stupid things you have ever done, yes I’m mad because you are the little piece of shit you have been since kids, but it doesn’t change a thing, I’m going to be here, forever, and I’ll support you, you are not alone in this, you never will be, still you are not free from answering a couple of questions young man”  
Tony laughed as tears of relief went down his cheeks “Thank you Pep’s, just try not being too mad at me” she hugged him close “I promise nothing”

“So this happened in the party incident?” her voice was steady, but Tony was sure as hell she was not calmed, “Yes” they were both sitting at his livingroom Pepper in front of him, like a really pissed but trying to understand big sister, even though she was younger.  
“It is Marius, isn’t he? the sperm donator?” this time the lump in his throat didn’t let him talk, he just nodded.  
“Jesus Tony! I was angry enough with you fucking a potentially really good and close associate out of ego and manliness but this is worse! At least use protection with strangers for god’s sake!” she stopped looking down at him as in the middle of her speech she had gotten up, a sigh left her lips and the anger seemed to disappear, she sat down again “Now I feel worse, what you did was stupid and impulsive, it was wrong Tony, but I can’t be angry at you forever, I’ve never been good at that, and now you are living the consequences of your acts, its a way of learning I guess?” she sighed again sitting by his side “You are like my annoying pain in the ass of a brother, and I love you like that, you decided to keep it, and I’m going to be at your side till the end like always you asshole” she hugged him tight and a few tears of relief left his eyes, knowing that he was not alone, that his baby would have someone else that loves it.

Having Pepper living with him was a pain in the ass, but like.. in a good way.  
The next morning he had woken up his coffee machine had vanished in thin air, just...PUF!, it was bad enough to go through the day without coffee, he felt sleepy and cranky, but then all the sausages and ham disappeared too and it was getting to his nerves.  
“Hey Pep’s,” he said as he entered one morning to the kitchen in a pretty good mood because he wasn’t feeling sick, she waved at him with an apple in her mouth, but as he opened the fridge his smile faded slowly.  
“Pep’s?” she got to the little table in the kitchen, “Yes, Tony?” she was using that tone, the one that meant she already knew what he was going to say and how it would end.  
“Pep’s, where is my cheese and why does everything in here is green?!” he didn’t raised his voice and she just looked at him “They weren’t pasteurized and that could bring problems to the mini you, and not everything is green don’t be a baby” she was smiling as he turned around to look at her, he opened his mouth as if to say something clever but instead he got really pale and ran off to the bathroom saying hi to that old friend that was never gone.  
As he pucked his guts out he felt a hand in his back, rubbing gently as a cold tower was put on his neck, “I’m here, it’s okay” hearing her voice as she confronted him was something he would never forget, she was there, she had even moved in with him when Tony knew how much she loved her independence, she even had canceled meetings and work to take care of him, once Tony got out of bed to sneak into the lab when he saw her on the dining table, her hair all messed up as she went through a bunch of files and worked in her computer, it must have been like three in the morning and the next day she didn’t complain, didn’t even sed a word about it.  
“It’s okay Tony, just breathe” she said when his back stopped to bow, as she helped him to sit and flushed the toilet before giving him a glass of water, he felt like a little child, “I have to go to the office, I have a couple of meetings and have to solve some problems with the Artisans du Peaux arriving today and everything,please call the doctor to ask why the nausea is still present, I left you a plate of fruit in the kitchen and juice, and before you complain there’s chocolate too, I’ll call Sam if I can’t make it to dinner” she got up and helped him up too he took her by the wrist when she was stepping away “Thank you, Pepper,” she opened wider her eyes as he hadn’t called her that in years, that made his chest warm a bit, “Tell me all about the reunion when you get back, please” her hand was on his shoulder when she noded “Take care Tone’s”

He had stopped working mechanically on the lab, he didn’t want to get hurt or to hurt the baby, so by now he was just doing calculations and diagrams for new stuff he came up with, so when the baby was here he could get back to work, that was while eating full grown peppers by now, once he had ran out of all spicy hot food and he literally started crying, it was an urge to eat them that he could barely think when he didn’t have them close, honestly it was weird and insane.  
Also, he had become a hermitian since he started to show, he doesn’t want all the cameras and paparazzi out his door asking for the father or the gender or trying to get a photo from a three-store high window.  
Only God knew how they did that.  
He wanted to wait before making it official, gossip had started a month ago though and the most popular theory was that he had suffered a serious accident and now was deformed or something, reading them made him laugh.  
Then he felt something weird, and he placed his hand on his belly, waiting for something unknown barely breathing, and there it was again, the baby was moving, “Jarvis! the baby is moving!” he couldn’t stop smiling by finally really feeling it, “I’ll call Mss. Potts” even Jarvis sounded happy when the screen started to buzz waiting.  
“Tony I have to enter a reunion, they are here and we have to talk about a few things…” she wasn’t looking at the camera as she walked hurriedly “The baby is moving!” she stopped to look at him, “The baby is moving?”, “The baby is moving” he confirmed and he saw her eyes lit up, “I’ll try to get off early promise!” then she hanged up before entering to the business office with a huge smirk.

She did come early relatively, as she had run off home after work and when she made it to the front door opening it and entering, she yelled Tony’s name to know his exact location, he yelled back smiling when she appeared with the biggest smile on her face, she almost ran to hug him, placing her hands on his belly. she was kind of waiting for something when he touched her hands “Harley moves whenever ae want’s not on queue sorry” she seemed a little disappointed before realizing “Harley? Ae’s name is Harley?” he shifted a little “Yeah, I.. I wanted for ae to have a name that represented whatever gender or genders ae choose, and I liked Harley” she smiled and nodded “Harley is not that bad” for that Tony punched her in the face with the pillow he had by his side making her fall backward laughing to the floor, but then he felt it “Pep’s give me your hand” he asked and she sat down again still laughing “What?” he reached for her hand “Just do it” she looked confused until her hand was placed on his belly and she felt it, it was a kick, there was silence for a moment, everything just stopped.  
And there they were, two best friends feeling the new life move for the first time.

“He wanted to see you” suddenly the supernatural chapter they were seeing went numb and ignored completely as he turned from where he had his head on Pepper’s shoulders to look at her, sitting back “He wanted to see me? What did he sed?” she sat down straight thinking “The first thing he sed when he came out of the elevator was where you were, then I told him you weren’t going to treat with him for the moment and that it was going to be me the one dealing with all this hole thing as we agreed, but he insisted to the point I wanted to punch him, still I sed nothing” there was scilence in the room only broke by the TV, “You should talk to him Tone’s, if you don’t want to see him or don’t want to tell him is okay, this is your decision, still you should talk to him to set things straigt, knowing him he could appear at our front door anytime” Tony just looked at her, she was right, of course she was right, still he was scared, he knew he had to talk to Marius but he didn’t know how, he didn’t know what the fuck he was going to tell him, after that they just finished the episode without really looking at it, both thinking on their situation.

He had been staring at the phone for what seemed like an eternity, hand on his belly feeling how the baby kicked beneath his hand, he was going to do this, he had been telling that to himself since he had picked the phone. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly, he had to do thins and like his mother, once sed, go now and get over it, the numbers sounded as he touched them, then he just had to wait.  
it took three rings for him to answer, “Marius Jacquet” he swallowed “Its Anthony Stark” there was a pause “Tony? I’ve been asking to see you but no one tells me anything about you”, “Then get it, I don’t want to see you,, Marius,” it was in part true, he had this stupid fantasy that if he saw Marius again they would end up raising Harley together and it was honestly a stupid idea “You don’t want to see me” he repeated and Tony closed his eyes “That’s right” the next thing was something he didn’t expect “Why?” Tony counted on the other one’s pride to just hang up “It’s complicated” was his answer “Well simplify it for me” he sounded a little angry and that made Tony feel angry “I won’t tell you shit, you are nothing of me” silence “Okay let’s do this again, Why don’t you want to see me?” the anger was gone or well hidden, Tony was still defensive, “Come on Tony, after all that happened between us I just wanted to talk” Tony considered his options, if he was going to tell him this was the moment.. “Marius you really should go, you don’t want to know this”, “Don’t try to tell me what I want” there was silence for a long moment where neither of them made a sound until Tony broke it “I’m pregnant”, the silence came back but Tony could feel his heart on his throat, and his hand tightening protectively around his belly, waiting “It’s mine then” it wasn’t a question and Tony was grateful that he had not called him or implied that he was sleeping with everyone by asking if the baby was his, still it would have been a fair question honestly.  
“Yes, you are the biological father” silence again “I want to see you, I want to talk” that was not what Tony expected at all, “Why?” this time Tony was the one asking “ If that baby is mine I won’t just leave, I.. I don’t know, can I see you?” nothing just his short breaths, “Yes”.

“You are sure about this?” it was the tenth time Pepper asked that “Yes, he just wants to talk” she nodded helping him with his shoes, he was embarrassed he couldn’t reach his feet now, it was annoying, “You want me to be here? in the lab maybe so I don’t hear but so I can come running if something happens..” she was nervous and that made Tony fell two things, anxious and warm, “You can stay in the lab if you want, but you can’t come up until I tell you okay?” she eyed him looking for any trick “Okay”, she left after that and he made his way to the living room settling himself down checking a few projects to try and calm down when the bell rang.  
He was on his feet as fast as he could and made his way to the front door not letting Jarvis open it for him, when he saw him it was like his stomach had taken the decision to go underground as he felt it sink, there he was, all long blond hair, shaved face and astonishing blue eyes, and on top of everything he had brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  
“Wow..” Marius was the first one to open his mouth when he saw Tony, and well the belly of course, this made Tony a bit uncomfortable as he answered with an awkward “Yeah” to then invite him in with his arm, both inside Marius extended the bouquet for him to grab it, “I got this for you, I..” there was going to be another uncomfortable silence so Tony spoke “Thanks, they are beautiful” they stood there a moment before Tony talked again “Let’s go to the living room, I get tired easily standing up” Marius' face went red “Yeah, sorry! I should have thought of that, sorry..” Tony gave him a smirk and started walking with Matius behind, when they where both sitting down Marius looked at Tony “Why didn’t you told me?” was the first question and Tony laughed a little “Really?” and then Marius laughed a little too “Yeah, dumb question” there was silence again,” How have you been?, I mean, are you okay? Is the baby okay?” seeing the worry in his eyes made Tony’s heart go faster, “We are fine, mean, I am going with a specialist and everything seems in order, Harley is growing fast and strong considering my drinking and my age” Marius stared at him “Harley?” he sed it like he was out of breath and Tony flushed “Yeah, that’s the name I chose, before you ask I don’t believe in gender so no ae is not a boy nor a girl, ae will tell us with time” a little smile appeared on the other’s face “Harley, I like it, the pronoun ae is okay?” Tony was the one staring now “So you agree with this gender thing?” Marius thought his answer, “It’s a little hard for me to really convince myself subconsciously of it, but I know that what you are doing with Harley is brave, and you are giving hi.. ae a chance to choose”. That was new, they talked a while after that easing the tension between them.

 

 

November 2008

The agreement between the two companies was almost done, still, Marius hadn’t returned to France yet, he and Tony had been spending time together, Marius coming over to the house to drink coffee (Him not Tony) or see a movie.

Tony made his pregnancy public the second week of November and it was a scandal, like an atomic bomb, girls were crying all over the countries, there were paparazzi outside his house 24/7, it was crazy, all the mail he got but never opened, the theories of who was the father were wild, as it was still a secret that Marius was the father, for some reason he didn’t want the press to know, and for Tony it was okay, they were not together or anything.  
Still, Tony’s heart longed for Marius to hug him, to kiss him, it was foolish, he knew it, they would never work out, it was obvious, still he waited, with the stupid dream of something to happen.

And there he was, on his house watching an action movie in the couch with Marius by his side, the French one was rubbing Tony’s swaled feet because he had lost a bet, still, he seemed happy to do it as they both screamed at the tv when the protagonist was being a total idiot.  
This had gotten usual between them, Pepper was now used to the idea that Marius was going to be there probably every fucking day and she had started to get nicer with the French but she was still firm, Marius was scared of her honestly, but it was worth it, having Tony by his side, watching how he got all excited with the movie with that shine on his eyes as he laughed, watching how he rested his hand on his belly stroking it once in a while so tenderly, watching how he would smile on that so special way when Harley moved.

Marius was in love with the billionaire playboy philanthropist, he knew it, he knew he felt something since the first time they had actually talked, before that Tony was breathtaking to look at, with his brown hair and perfect eyes, he had fallen full face, but it was just physical attraction, when he got to speak to him Tony stole his heart with that cocky smirk and sassy attacks, with his ego by surprising as it sounds, and that little game they played to see who was the strongest, the manliest, it was fun, fun to eye fuck each other, fun to be snarky with each other, it made him feel the fucking zoo in his stomach.  
Then the party had arrived and he honestly drank a little more than what he should, then he found Tony in the bathroom, drunk like him, half opened shirt and with that smirk that was just for him.  
Between the bitching Tony had kissed him, and He had answered eagerly tongues together in a weird battle for dominance, hands exploring, Tony had locked the door and Marius had taken him up to sit him on the sink, to touch him, to kiss him, and then Tony had whispered to his ear “Fuck me hard Marius”, that had been the moment he stopped thinking.  
He could remember the feeling of Tony around him, of his body, shivering on his arms, of his moans against his shoulder, the pants that left his mouth, he had come hard and deep, he wanted to, and Tony had given him permission between cries, but he had to get out of there when Tony grabbed him by the shoulder to get him close, and he melted to his touch, that was until he heard that cruel cold statement “I won” he hadn’t felt more stupid in his life, so naive, he felt used and he felt heartbroken when he packed his things that night and left to never come back.  
Or so he thought  
Still he knew all he had done was wrong he couldn’t regret a thing, and that made him feel … his thoughts were cut by Tony grabbing him and getting him closer to then put his hands on his belly smiling, Marius smiled when he felt Harley move, his kid..., Tony’s kid, and then their eyes locked and the time stopped, and his heart raced as their faces got closer, and closer, when he felt Tony’s lips in him he pulled away standing up giving his back to the other man covering his face with his hands.

When he turned around he saw Tony with both hands on his belly protectively with such heartbreak on his eyes Marius wanted to run and kiss him and hug him and stay with him forever, but he couldn’t.  
“I’m sorry” he started as he took a few steps forward “Tony I’m engaged”.

That hurt like a slap, Marius was engaged, he was of someone else, that was why he wasn’t officially Harley’s father, now he got it, and he felt sick, his father had cheated on his mother once and he had swore he would never be with a married person, when he saw Marius start to walk away he grabbed him by the wrist, “Please come back, sit with me” Marius had looked deeply to his brown eyes and then sat down “I didn’t know” he started “I didn’t tell you” answered back the French, it was weird how they agreed so easily on things “Do you love him?” Marius looked so sad “No, I don’t love her” so she was a girl, he couldn’t get why would a guy like Marius be with someone he doesn’t love “Why don’t you leave?” there was a silence “She is my best friend, I know her since.. forever and.. I just can’t lose her.., she is sick and my Father agreed to pay her treatment only if I married her,.. I don’t know, I’m always happy with her though, she makes me laugh and smile so it’s not like I’m gonna be miserable for the rest of my days” he smiled and Tony couldn’t do anything else than smile too.

Marius was gone the next week after the end of the contract unifying their companies, still, he wanted to be there for Harley, Tony just couldn’t imagine how.

Knowing that his best friend was coming over for the first time in almost a year was exciting, Rhodey was coming home for a few weeks, then he had to go again, he was sure that he was going to be First Lieutenant soon if he did his best and so he had been far from home.  
But now he was coming home and Pepper was as excited as Tony, maybe even more, it would be the three of them again. Honestly Tony needed his friend to help him get away from the disappointment and maybe to reassure him that he wasn’t alone.

Pepper’s scream and then a thump woke Tony up covering his belly with both hands in complete silence fearing the worst as he got behind the couch in his room trying to breathe, he felt weird, like if someone were squishing his belly, and it was hard on top where it was usually soft, he winced as it hurt a little, and then he panicked, Where this contractions?, they couldn’t be contractions it was too soon, he was like what? 26 weeks? it was too soon and someone had made Pepper scream, something was wrong, then his door busted open and he couldn’t breathe.  
“Tony?” it was Pepper’s voice from the door and that’s when he decided to look out of the side of the couch, Pepper almost ran to him “Are you okay? What happened?” she helped him up as he winced a little “I heard you scream..” she rolled over her eyes “Rodes decided to enter without warning and I hit him” she explained but he still felt weird, it hurt a little again, and he grimaced a little “Pepper, I think.. I think I’m having contractions” her eyes went wide open “WHAT?”, he winced a little on her arms and she held him close, “I’m going to kill that idiot! You are going to be okay Tony just breathe” Tony was getting into a panic “Ae can’t come yet, it’s too soon..” there was a lump in his throat and he could feel tears “I sed you are going to be okay and I have never lied to you, trust me”.

“Asshole!” when they arrived at the living room there was Rhodey with ice on his forehead playing the victim on the couch “What..” he looked up and his face lit up when he saw Tony, to then drop in fear almost instantly “What’s going on?” he sed as he ran by their side “We don’t know, he is having contractions” it was Pepper’s “calm” voice which meant this was serious and they couldn’t panic, Rhodey was a soldier but seeing his best friend holding his belly looking so scared, scared him shitless, still he couldn’t panic “I got him, bring the car” he sed as he wrapped his arm under Tonýs and around his torso, helping him to stand up, “Tone’s, everything is alright” he mumbled as he held him close waiting for de car.

They arrived at the hospital in record time and as they entered people just kept staring at him as Rhodey carried him and Pepper made her way to the doctor scaring anyone that tried to stop her with just one look.

Both friends waited outside as Doctor Smith checked on Tony, he opened the door to let them in, “Everything’s fine” he sed once they were all inside “They were Braxton Hicks contractions, they are spontaneous but not dangerous to anyone, they tend to appear later on but I think my patient was under unrequired stress” he looked to the other two and Pepper hit Rhodey again that night, “I’m sorry, it was my fault” he sed standing up straight after the punch, “Just don’t let him get that stressed again, or not stressed at all would be better”  
“Can you stop talking like I’m not in the room?” all three turned to look at him, “Sorry” apologised the doctor, “You can’t be under stress Mr. Stark, coming here was good though, a lot of first time parents come because of this, but, it’s nothing to be scared about” Tony nodded feeling less stupid as he waited to feel Harley move, he needed to feel ae to know for sure everything was okay, “This will happen again” he sed and the doctor nodded this time “They are common, and will be preset more constantly over time, the way to tell the contractions apart is that Braxton are inconsistent and they don’t increment on pain or come in determined time like the others, also if you eat something while on Braxton you may feel better” Tony nodded again as he felt Harley moove “Thanks Doc”

“You honestly don’t know how much I hate you right now” they were on their way back and Tony was in the back seat with Rohdey that was laughing as Tony smiled because it had been a fun night, crazy and stressful but in the end fun.

Rhodey didn’t know what he expected when he decided to go home, he had talked with Tony on the phone, and with Pepper too obviously, but still when he saw his best friend everything had been crazy and terrifying, no the next morning he was preparing a star wars marathon as an apology that he knew Tony would accept, he had been his best friend, his crush and his first love since kids and being apart from him for such a long time had felt wrong, now he was back, he knew he would have to go away again but once he had his rank he knew he would come home to Tony and Harley, or at least that was what he hoped.

When Tony woke up the next morning he was greeted by waffles and an extra hot and spicy sauce Rodes had brought him, it really looked disgusting to see the waffles all drowned on that red liquid, but Tony was in heaven, his urge to eat hot stuff had brought hin to eat by snack actual peppers and that weirded out Pepper who just kept bringing them, but nothing was compared to this magical elixir he was eating.  
Rodes was staring at him with a proud yet a little disgusted look on his eyes “I see you liked it” Tony stopped to look at him “You have no idea how much I love you right now” then he continued eating as his life depended on it, those words hit Rodes hard and made him smile even wider, “I’m glad I found the right one” Tony was smiling as he offered a bite to his friend “Gross, no thanks” said this and the other shrugged “Your loss”  
“Good… what the hell is that?” Pepper entered with her heels and ponytail ready to leave for work when she saw what Tony was eating, Rodes answered looking at her “I found this really hot sauce and I brought it for him, he seems to love it with waffles” Pepper kept looking at him “I hope you know were to find that sauce near” her voice was threatening “Uhh…, Why?” now he was nervous, she sighed “Last time Tony went out of peppers he woke me up at three in the morning because he just couldn’t sleep thinking of them, we went to the store and when we were in line he started crying for the anticipation of eating them” her face was deadly serious but Rhodey laughed “You cried in the store over peppers?” Tony threw a piece of waffle to his face “You can’t understand the awful feeling of wanting something so bad it actually hurts and makes you cry when you know how that feels we can talk” he was dead serious and Rhodes better kept quiet.  
Being with Tony was awesome as Rodes could say, they watched a star wars marathon.. or at least he did, Tony felt asleep on his shoulder at the third movie. At first he thought that seeing his best friend pregnant would be weird, but he could say he even liked it, Tony looked just so happy, he talked about Harley all the time, and he even could help with painting the room while Tony insisted on building the crib himself even though he was heavily pregnant, though he didn’t like it when people brought that out.  
Of course, Rhodes loved to pick on his best friend making Pepper laugh along, like this time Tony asked him to put the Oreos somewhere he couldn’t reach them, so he put them on the floor, Pepper was dying of laughter as Tony threw things to his best friend.  
In the end, he had to go back on training, to serve his country, “I’ll miss you Tone’s” this one hugged him as close as he could, “If you die before knowing Harley I’ll kill you”, Rhodes laughed “I won’t, I promise”

 

January 2008

December came and went fast, and with it the anxiety and excitement of the baby arriving on January, it was crazy, all the crazy fans and paparazzi had calmed down over the last month letting him breathe and go out without being in potential danger.  
Honestly Tony was tired of being pregnant, it was hot, messy and really uncomfortable, Though he was absolutely terrified about labor, he had just heard horror stories about it and honestly, he wondered if he could have the baby without the pain though it would be impossible.

Everything was ready, Harley had an awesome dream room, Tony had really thought of everything, still, he felt as he wasn’t ready at all to have that little baby in his arms, Christmas had been fun as Pepper went Aunt crazy with presents for her little Harley.

It was a Tuesday morning when it happened.  
Those were the worst 14 hours of Tony’s life so far.


End file.
